Participation of Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, PABSEC Secretary General, at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 25-27 April 2016

Mr. Asaf Hajiyev, Secretary General of Parliamentary Assembly of Black Sea Cooperation, participated at the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Baku, Azerbaijan, on 25-27 April 2016.

The Forum brought together more than 4,300 participants, including Heads of State and Government, political officials, civil society representatives, religious and youth leaders, who exchanged their perspectives under the main theme on "Living Together in Inclusive Societies: A Challenge and A Goal".

The Forum was inaugurated on April 26th by the President of Azerbaijan, H.E. President Ilham Aliyev and the High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser with a video message from the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki-moon as well as addresses by the President of Turkey, H.E. President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and the Minister of Foreign Affairs Spain, Mr. Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo y Marfil.

The Forum explored the relevance of inclusive societies for preventing violent extremism, creating peace and enhancing sustainable development. The Forum’s themes and sub-themes reflected the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which incorporates the promotion of inclusive societies as pivotal component for sustainable development, and the creation of justice, peace, and security. At the same time, the Forum provided a platform to discuss the intersection between social inclusion and the prevention of violent extremism, echoing the respective Plan of Action that UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon released in January 2016.

In two plenaries, 16 breakout sessions and seven networking sessions, the Forum trigged discussions and exchanged on matters related to building inclusive societies, such as the role and significance of religious leaders, women, sports, youth and education. Among the major outcomes from the Global Forum Baku 2016 was the adoption by consensus of the Baku Declaration, a political document that will guide future efforts towards achieving the goals of UNAOC – a body mandated to promote harmony, understanding and peaceful dialogue among nations. The Baku Declaration calls for the implementation of the commitments made there so that Governments, with the support of the civil society, can overcome challenges and move forward towards the goals of living together in inclusive societies for sustainable development.

The High Representative for the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations, Mr. Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser and the Minister of Culture of Azerbaijan, Mr, Abulfas Garayev concluded the 7th Global Forum of the United Nations Alliance of Civilizations in Baku with closing remarks that highlighted the forum’s success in providing an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, engaging with existing and potential partners and re-affirming the commitment of various stakeholders representing governments, civil society, religious leaders and academia.